Padlock installation

ABSTRACT

THE BODY OF THE PADLOCK IS USED AS A BLOCKING MEMBER TO PREVENT THE OPENING OF A CLOSURE, THUS DENYING UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS TO AN ENCLOSURE. THE PADLOCK CAN BE SECURED TO A SUPPORTT ADJACENT THE CLOSURE IN ONE LOCKED POSITION IN WHICH THE BODY OF THE PADLOCK PREVENTS THE CLOSURE FROM BEING OPENED AND CAN BE SECURED TO THE SUPPORT IN A SECOND LOCKED POSITION IN WHICH THE CLOSURE CAN BE OPENED. THE SECOND POSITION IS A STORAGE POSITION FOR THE PADLOCK PENDING SUBSEQUENT LOCKING USE.

Nova 23, 1971 G. L. GRANDA l ADLOCK INSTALLATION Filed May 6, 1970 United States Patent 3,21,687 Patented Nov. 23, 1971 3,621,687 PADLOCK INSTALLATION Gerald L. Granda, Springfield, 111., assignor to Allis- Chalmers Manufacturing Company, Milwaukee, Wis. Filed May 6, 1970, Ser. No. 34,977 Int. Cl. B65d 55/14; Eb 65/02 US. Cl. 70-164 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to use of a padlock to prevent unauthorized access to enclosures through closures, such as caps and doors. In recent years unauthorized tampering with equipment and sabotage has become an increasing problem. Damage to sophisticated controls can be very expensive to equipment owners. Also theft of fuel continues to be a problem in many situations. Although various means have heretofore been provided for preventing unauthorized access to fuel tanks or other enclosures, some have been inconvenient to use and the personnel responsible for using the safeguards have neglected to carry out the instructions given them. Other safeguards have proven to be expensive in initial cost thus meeting with some sales resistance. The present invention is simple in construction, inexpensive and easy to use.

It is a physical object of this invention to provide a means for preventing unauthorized access to an enclosure which is simple in construction, inexpensive and convenient to use.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a means for preventing unauthorized access to an enclosure which utilizes the body of a padlock as the blocking member preventing a closure from being opened.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a means of denying access through an enclosure opening wherein a closure for the opening is prevented from being opened by abutting engagement of the body of a padlock.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a locking arrangement of the type hereinbefore outlined wherein the closure does not contain any part of the locking device and is prevented from being opened by abutment with the lock itself.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent to those familiar with the art when the following description is read in conjunction with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a top view of an enclosure having a screw type cap and illustrating one form of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the construction shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top view similar to FIG. 1, but showing the padlock reversed for storage;

FIG. 4 is a top view of the locking arrangement of FIGS. 1 through 3 showing the padlock in the process of being removed of its support;

FIG. 5 is a top view of a second embodiment of this invention in which the body of the padlock prevents the opening of a door type closure; and

FIG. 6 is a side view of the construction shown in FIG. 5 with parts shown in section-s for illustration purposes.

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 4 a screw type closure in the form of a cap 11 is releasably secured to walls defining a filler tube 12 of an enclosure in the form of storage tank 13. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the cap, which is shown in its installed or closed position, is prevented from being shifted to its open position by the body 16 of a padlock 17 which has its shackle 18 in a cooperative engagement with a support 19'. The support is fixedly secured as by welding to the tank. 13.

The padlock 17 is of a type having a U-shaped shackle 18 which is reciprocated between its locking position shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 and its unlocked position as shown in FIG. 4. The padlock is of conventional construction and of the type which may be unlocked to release a free end 21 of the shackle 18 by insertion of a key in the opening, not shown, of the padlock body 16. A combination type padlock could also be interchangeably used. When it is desired to release the closure 11, the padlock 17 is unlocked and the shakle 18 moved outwardly to its unlocked position as shown in FIG. 4. Then the body 16 of the lock 17 is rotated upwardly about other leg 22 of the shackle 18 to the position illustrated in FIG. 4. The shackle 18 and body 16 may then be removed as an assembly to the right, as viewed in FIG. 4. The padlock .17 is thus removed from its locking position of engagement with the support wherein the body 16 blocked opening of closure 11. As will be noted in FIG. 4, a bore 26 is formed in support 19' and constitutes a portion thereof in cooperative engagement with the leg 21 of shackle 18. The U-shaped shackle 18 is of circular cross section and has a close fit with the bore 26 whereby the bent or curved part 20 of the shackle cannot be moved into the bore. Besides the locking position of the padlock 17, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the padlock has a second position of engagement with the support 19, as illustrated in FIG. 3, wherein the body 16 of the padlock 17 is disposed on the opposite side of support 19 and does not prevent movement of closure 11 to its open position, that is does not prevent the closure 11 from being screwed off the threaded filler tube 12.

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the padlock 17 is shown with its body 16 in locking relation to a closure in the form of a door '31 which is secured to an enclosure 32 to prevent access through an opening 33. The door 31 is pivotally connected to the enclosure 32 by a pair of hinges 34. The padlock 17 in FIGS. 5 and 6 is secured to a support 36 in the same manner as in FIGS. 1 and 2 whereby the body 16 prevents outward opening movement of the door 31 even though the latch 37 is rotated to its open position.

From the foregoing description it is apparent that I have provided an extremely simple device for preventing vandalism, sabotage, or other unauthorized entry to an enclosure through a closure. More specifically, I provide a releasable lock means for preventing entry in the form of a padlock locked on a support adjacent to the opening wherein, in one locked position of the padlock 17 in engaging relation to the support 19, the body 16 of the padlock is in blocking relation to the closure preventing shifting of the closure to its open position. When it is desired to leave the closure unlocked the padlock may be conveniently stored by reversing .its position in relation to the support and locking it to the support as shown in FIG. 3. My invention contemplates use of a relatively inexpensive and standard padlock 17 rather than a special locking device incorporated into the closure itself. Thus if the key to the lock becomes lost or if there is fear that the key may have been duplicated or placed in unfriendly hands, the lock may be disposed of and a new padlock substituted therefor Without great expense.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. In combination with an enclosure having walls defining a threaded opening and a threaded closure for the opening rotatable between opening closed and opening open positions, means preventing rotation of said closure from its closed position to its open position comprising:

an abutment surface on said closure,

a support secured in fixed relation to said enclosure adjacent said opening including a portion adapted for cooperative engagement with a shackle of a padlock,

a padlock having a main body and a shackle shiftable between released and locking positions relative to said body, said padlock having one position of engagement with said support wherein said shackle in its locking position is secured to said support and said body is disposed at one side of said support in engageable relation to said abutment surface preventing rotation of said closure from its closed position to its open position.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said padlock has a second position of engagement with said support wherein said shackle in its locking position is secured to said support and said closure is rotatable from its closed position to its open position, said body of said padlock being disposed at a side of said support other than said one side in said second position of engagement of said padfining an opening and a closure for the opening shiftable between opening closed and opening open positions,

means preventing shifting of said closure from its close position to its open position comprising:

a support secured in fixed relation to said enclosure adjacent said opening including a portion adapted for cooperative engagement with a shackle of a padlook, and a padlock having a main body and a shackle shiftable between released and locking positions relative to said body, said padlock having one position of engagement with said support wherein said shackle in its locking position is secured to said support and said body is disposed at one side of said support in blocking relation to said closure preventing shifting of the latter from its closed position to its open position, said padlock having a second position of engagement with said support wherein said shackle in its locking position is secured to said support and said closure is shiftable from its closed position to its open position, said body of said padlock being disposed at a side of said support other than said one side in said second position of engagement of said padlock.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,050,487 1/1913 Pape 70-8S X 1,470,751 10/1923 Knapp 292-205 X FOREIGN PATENTS 793,678 1/1936 France 70-85 ALBERT G. CRAIG, JR., Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 70-78, 101 

